On Anniversary of Kirk’s Murder, is Turning Point Action a Republican Election Asset or Liability?

On the anniversary of the Charlie Kirk assassination, the entire fall election appears to be turning on the activities of Turning Point USA. Is it an election asset, or a Republican brand liability? This week saw a micro-manifestation of the drama surrounding everything that Turning Point does in Arizona. Over the weekend, AI-generated images showed  fake “Democrats for Biggs” signs, tying Lorena Austin, a progressive East Valley politician, to them. Austin had to deny the signs even though they didn’t exist. A news report traced the deepfake to Turning Point activists, and a Biggs campaign spokesman had to deny involvement. In the end, all we did, really, was talk about Turning Point.

Some Arizona Republicans question whether Turning Point’s very effective turnout machine can become a liability when the organization itself becomes the campaign story. “They are a great motivator, but sometimes they’re motivating their opponents,” GOP political consultant Barrett Marson said in an interview with Arizona Globe. “It’s one of those double-edged swords.”

Turning Point brandished that sword in the normally-sleeping off-cycle election of the Salt River Project board. Turning Point-backed candidates ran on issues of affordability and the reliability of utilities. But because of its close ties to MAGA and the Trump Administration, Talking Point’s involvement ended up turning out thousands of voters who would ordinarily never go near an SRP election, tipping the board to a clean-energy 8-6 majority.

Republican corporation commissioner Nick Myers found himself at the wrong end of the Turning Point sword when he lost his July primary to TPA-backed Ralph Heap. On X, a bitter Myers tweeted, “Let’s just say that you took out one of the most conservative Republican utility regulators in favor of someone that has no experience and no money to run his campaign. You literally handed the seat over to a Dem…I’m so tired of the Turning Point gaslighting and other nonsense.” Myers didn’t respond to a request from Arizona Globe for further comment.

But the fact remains that without Turning Point’s efforts, Republicans in Arizona are hurting for legitimate grassroots support. TPA volunteers are knocking on doors all over the state every day, winner over voters one by one. That’s going to matter in the governor’s race, Marson says: “If Turning Point can do its turnout operation and go door-knocking and phone banking while keeping their name out of it, that’s going to help Biggs. If Turning Point puts itself above the candidates, that won’t be helpful to Republicans.” He added, ““You want their support, but you want it a little quieter.”

But Turning Point doesn’t go quietly. After the Austin deepfake imbroglio over the weekend, Turning Point affiliated activist Mary Ann Mendoza characterized the incident as a joke. And she just kept on the assault. “AZ State Rep Lorena Austin has been endorsed by the AZ Communist Party aka Working Families, she fraternizing and attends CAIR events with Linda Sansour,” she tweeted at the Arizona Republic. “This is out in the news yet you don’t find this newsworthy? She’s Anti Semitic!”

Meanwhile, Mendoza, who didn’t respond to requests for interviews from Arizona Globe, continues to go door to door. On September 8, her social media was full of smiling photos of people who she’d registered to vote. “Got a neighbor to check her voter registration and now she’s prepared to vote to save AZ!” Mendoza tweeted. She accompanied the post with a photo of her smiling neighbor holding a folded-up American flag.

Got a neighbor to check her voter registration and now she’s prepared to vote to save AZ! pic.twitter.com/t6AtYoaATZ

— Angel Mom Mary Ann Mendoza (@MaryAnn66538650) September 8, 2026